releve Virginia Division of Natural Heritage, see http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/nh_plotform_instructions.pdf
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Stem Observation Area
400
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
33
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
8
m
Tree Cover
95
%
Shrub Cover
10
%
Field Cover
30
%
Nonvascular Cover
5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The vegetation in this plot, located on a north slope above Culbertson Creek, is a mature, fairly rich, dry-mesic forest dominated by large Fagus grandifolia. Somewhat smaller-diameter Quercus rubra, Acer saccharum, Acer rubrum, and Liriodendron tulipifera are associated. The prevalence of beech at this site may be an artifact of logging many decades ago which removed oaks and other more valuable trees. The understory is very open and forbs dominate the herb layer in a patchy cover (ca. 30% in aggregate). Just downslope, in a narrow band subtending the creek, there is an abrupt change to dense colonies of Rhododendron maximum, which is unusual in the limestone-rich landscape of Scott County. This Rhododendron stand may be associated with a thin interbed of sandstone in the Knox Group.